US news - past visitors, almost-visitors, and more

The Colorado trio Stillhouse Junkies (left), who would have toured Ireland in the spring of 2020 but for the pandemic, have joined the artist roster of the Dark Shadow Recording label, which also handles Rick Faris, luthier, songwriter, and former Special Consensus member. More details are on the Dark Shadow press release.

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The next two Zoom lessons in the present season of banjo 'clinics' by Ken Perlman, godfather of 'melodic clawhammer banjo', are on 'Techniques of the great 20th century roots clawhammer banjoists' (6 Dec.) and 'Melodic fingering shapes in double-C and G modal tunings' (10 Jan.). All Ken's previous lessons are available as videos at $25 each from his Encore Collection.

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The Del McCoury Band are releasing today a new single, 'Once again', from the album Almost proud, which is scheduled for release on 18 Feb. 2022 on their own McCoury Music label. More details are on the press release.

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The Mountain Home Music Company announce that Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (right) are releasing today recordings of two traditional songs for the Christmas season, 'In the bleak midwinter' and 'Rise up shepherd and follow'. Guest artists include Chris's singer/ songwriter wife Sally and fiddler, dancer, and bandleader April Verch.

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The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, TN/ VA, will present on 9 Dec. 2021 Radio Bristol's 'Farm and Fun Time' variety show, live from the Museum, featuring the Tim O'Brien Band, the Slocan Ramblers, and house band Bill and the Belles. The show will also stream live on Radio Bristol's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

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Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road are releasing today their new twelve-track gospel album I can go to them, featuring the single 'Lessons of the Book'. The album, which includes some powerful a cappella quartet singing, can be bought, downloaded, or streamed here. Full details, including a complete track listing, are on the Pinecastle press release.

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The 54th weekly newsletter from Bluegrass Unlimited magazine includes a 59-track Spotify playlist of original recordings of bluegrass standards, on which Tony Rice and his colleagues based the six Bluegrass Album Band albums.

The newsletter also includes the third instalment of the special series of articles on the late Bill Emerson, covering the founding of the highly influential Country Gentlemen band, which Bill first organised and in which he played banjo for the band's first year (1957-8). One notable feature is a reproduction of a poster for the 18 Aug. 1957 show at Watermelon Park in Berryville, VA, which included 'Charlie Waller & Bill Emerson and the Country Gentlemen'. Immediately after them, the poster lists Eddie Adcock, who would later be banjo-player in the 'classic' Country Gentlemen lineup - though on the poster he appears as 'Norfolk, Virginia's New and Great Rock-'N'-Roll Singer and TV Star'.

© Richard Hawkins